Bail Bonds - Agents And Information

Written by Will Baum

Bail bonds are your ticket out of jail. After being arrested, many people panic. They think that their life is over. But being arrested isn't necessarily a catastrophe. You don't necessarily have to be in jail long.

You are innocent until proven guilty. A night or two in jail is enough for most people. After you are arrested, you want to get out of prison fast. That's what the bail system is for. An experienced bail agent can get you out of jail faster than you may think.

Bail Bonds Can Get You Out of Jail Quickly

A top-notch bail agent has been through the bail bonds process hundreds upon hundreds of times. Trust a bail agent to work within the system to get you freed as soon as humanly possible. The best bail agents work around the clock and will consult with you to help you understand the bail system and help arrange bail bonds to secure your release.

The first step in your encounter with the justice system is the arraignment. At the arraignment, the decision about whether or not to allow bail in your case is decided by a judge. The judge listens to arguments from the prosecution and defense and weighs several factors. The judge's main concern is not letting prisoners free who may pose a threat to the community.

If you have long criminal record or have committed an especially brutal crime, you will probably have to wait out the time till your court date arrives behind bars. Most people, however, are granted the right to post bail bonds and go free. Jails would quickly grow overcrowded if everyone who is arrested were to stay in jail.

History and Bail Bonds

The bail system has evolved over centuries. Roots of the modern-day system of bail bonds go back as far as medieval times. In England, sheriffs used to decide whether or not bail would be allowed and in what amount. This is a power they abused with regularity. Eventually, magistrates were appointed to alleviate this problem.

Due process rights for prisoners accumulated slowly through the years. Something as simple as being told what you are accused of is a right that was fought for over years, decades, and centuries. After the American Revolution, British laws regarding bail and due process were lifted almost verbatim for use in newly formed United States. The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, guaranteeing reasonable bail, echoes British statues almost to the word. The bail system has undergone relatively little change since those days.

You are not entirely free once you have posted bail. If you do not show up in court when expected, the full amount of the bail is forfeited. Judges set bail amounts high enough to make this a deeply unappealing eventuality. You are no longer behind bars, but you are in a kind of "virtual prison," with financial constraints instead of handcuffs. Find a trustworthy bail agent to handle your bail process. Novices can slow down what should be a smooth and painless route to freedom. The Internet is a great place to find a bail agent to hand all your bail bonds needs.